Load-discharging car



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March 18 924.`

A CAMPBELL LOAD DISCHARGING GAR Filed Nov. 2, 1922 March 18, 1924;-

A. CAMPBELL.

LOAD DISCHARGING CAR Filed Nov- 2. 1922 2 sheets-'sheet 2 .3.. vgl

Patented Mar. 1S, 1924.

l Lama ARGYLE CAMPBELL, or CHICAGO, ILLINcIs, AssrGNcia iro ENT-'Enrnrsn RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CoBroBATIQN or IL LrNoIs,

LoAnfnIsCI-IARGING CA'B.

Application filed November 2, 1922i. SerialNo. 598,468.

To all 'whom t may concern: 1

Be it `known that I, ARGYLE CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Load-Discharging Cars, of which `the following isa full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

`forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in load discharging cars, and more particularly load discharging cars of the gondola and like types having swinging dump doors particularly adapted for luse in discharging ballast by means of unloading plows wherein the doors are adapted to be opened by the discharging load and returned to closed position under Vthe influence of gravity. The novel features of my invention pertain more particularly to the side door construction and the mechanism used in conjunction therewith for locking the doors in closed position. v

In cars of the identied type a limitation in their utility has hitherto been experienced,

owing to the disposition of the door locking mechanism on the outside of the framework, thereby rendering cars of this type useless for service in the type of unloading machines wherein the cars are retained in position during unloading through the medius of the A car sides. I have therefore provided a novel form of door locking and releasing mechanism fully protected by the side stakes;

Another object of my invention is to provide a door locking and releasing mechanism operable by a member having movement lengthwise of the car and actuated preferably at the end of the car. Y

A further object of my invention is to provide a mechanism which will operate to engage the doors even when not fullyv closed and bring the same to a fully closed posinon. This feature in a cary of this construction is necessary inasmuch as it is often desirable to close the doors with the train in motion, and the swaying of the car from side to side when passing over curves and uneven roadbeds tends to counteract the inuence of gravity and move the doors slightly away fromthe sides. Y

A still further object of the invention is to provide a seriesof door latcheson the car framing and adapt the ysame for operation in unison. y y

Further objects and advantages, especially in regard to the improved method offhang-l ing the side doors to the side frame, will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in this specification and claims. y

VF or full comprehensionof my-vinvention, however, reference must be made to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofy this specification and in which similar reference characters indicate the same parts and wherein Figure 1 is a side elevational view ,of a portion of the car Vside showing the' i4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of a section-'through the door taken substantially on line 1 -4 of Figure 1. .Figure 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the operating shaft particularly showing the. grooves whereby the latch membersare secured to the shaft. ,Y n r The car, aportion of which is shown in the drawings, `consists of a framework which iny cludes side sill web 2, top angle 3, side stakes 4, corner ,post made up of .vertical corner member 5 and another member 6 v,spaced therefrom a sufficient distance to form a ladder therebetweenand a top beam 7 supported ,on a longitudinally extending top member In secured to the side stakes and corner posts.

Ijma'ke no claimto this particular side frame construction inasmuch las it is included in 'a separate ,application iiled by me on `August 31, 1922, under Serial Number 585,431. Ladder rungs 8 extend between members 5 and 6 i and at the bottom thereof a sill step 9 is (lisposed. The side doors are swingmgly mountedl on the `Side frame by means of U bolts l1,0

supported'byy washers l1 -and nuts 10a.

rIhe side doors are disposed between the stakes and are preferably formed of boards 12 tied together lby reinforcing members 13 and 14. The members 13 and 14: are prefer- Y ably formed of angles with one flange bolted Y to the boards and at the hinge end of the door the angles are preferably flattened by folding the flanges together as shown at 13 and 14a and the portion of the angle so made is bent in the form of a loop 13b and 14h forming an eye for the hinge U bolt 10. rfhe loop is preferably elongated in order to permit insertion and removal of U bolt for the purpose of removal of parts and repairs.V The angles 13 are secured to longitudinal angle 15 which extends for the wholelength of the door. Angles 14, which preferabl) consist of two per door, are extended below the free edge of the door and the flanges of the angles forming the said extensions folded over and'extended inwardly 'as shown at- 111c below the floor 16 of the car. The floor 16 is preferably extended a short distance beyond the side sill and acts as a stop to limit the inward movement of the door and also as a protection for the latches, the inner surface of the hinge members being adapted to abut thereagainst. The double thickness of Vmetal presented by the two flanges of the angle forms an abutment of great strength and door latches 17 are adapted to be moved in the path of the samefor the purpose of preventing outward movement of the side door.

The door latches are secured to a longitudinal shaft 18 disposed below the free edges of the doors and parallel thereto and extending through the side stakes and adapted to slide in bearings 19 and 20. Additional bearings 21 are preferably drilled in each of the stakes. The shaft is preferably made of circular section and in order to avoid weakening the shaft and to facilitate the renewal of parts I have devised a novel way of securing members 17 thereto. The shaft is formed with sets of horizontally disposed grooves 18l and interposed between each set of the same, another groove 18b is vertically disposed. Each of the latches is formed with va central vertically extending tongue 17a adapted to register with grooves` 181 of the shaft. U-bolts 22 are adapted to engage the shaft having the legs thereof registeringQwith the horizontal grooves 18a of the shaft and passing through holes17b of the latches. The ends of the U-bolts are threaded at 22a and receive nuts 23 whereby the shaft and latches are drawn together .and maintained in a rigid relation.

In' order to prevent` the shaft from turning in its bearings and to adequately support the latches and enable them to retain the doors in the closed position under the outward thrust of the load, brackets 24 constituting abutments are secured to the framing and each provided with a slot 24a -within which a latch 17 is adapted to slide. The slots are elongated to permit the latches to move longitudinally therein and the outer face 24D of each slot made smooth to reduce friction between the sliding parts. The brackets may be of anydesired form but the preferred construction is in the form of a commercial shape such as an angle and with a slot therein leaving sufficient area of metal at each end of the slot to successfully resist the wearing strains incidental to the load on the door. The strip of metal forming the outer edge of the slot virtually constitutes a beam supported at both ends and in order tov provide for economy of material, provision is made to assure that the latch when in the closed position will be at the end of the slot immediately adjacent one of the supports.

The latches 17 are flared in a horizontal plane as at 17c for the purpose of engaging the doors when slightly open and wedging the same to a fully closed position. The preferred construction is to flare the latch but it is obvious that this member may be made flat and the door abutment flared or both may be made flared and the desired result obtained in each case. Wvith one of the contacting surfaces flared, a differential wedging act-ion is assured in the operation of the mechanism.

1n order to move theshaft longitudinally and lock the same in position, a mechanism is provided at the end of the car and consists of a pivoted lever member 25 pivoted to the shaft by means of pin 26 and to a stationary fulcrum 27 by means of pivot 28. Member 25 is formed in such a manner as to permit the prolongation of the lever arm and in this instance a socket 25a is shown wherein a bar may be inserted. The pivot 28 is adapted to slide in a slot 25b in order to compensate for the difference in the distance between pivots as the lever swings through an arc. The lever member is formed with a bearing portion at 25c with which the surface 29EL of safety cam 29 is adapted to engage and thereby lock the shaft against longitudinal movement Safety cam 29 is pivotally mounted to the car framing by means of pivot 30 preferably disposed in alinement with the shaft. 1n order to provide a rigid support for the safety cam 29 bracket 31 is provided and secured to the car framing. This member is provided with ledges 31a and 31" to either side of the abutment adapted to support the cam in locked land unlocked positions 1t will be noted that the operaung mecha nism is contained behind the ladder and the Vvarious parts comprising the operating Vresting on ledge 31b andbar 32 inserted in` socket 25 anda pull exerted on the endl of the bar towards the end of car, drawing shaft 18 outwards and also latches 17 in Vunison therewith to the position shown in par, it will be obvious that all the'doors on one side of acar or any number of the same may be included inone operating mechanism. 'The doors are adapted to close by gravity after the discharge of the load has been effected and for this purpose it is preferable to bend hinge eyes 13b and 14" inwardly thereby hinging the door substantially in alinement with the center of gravity thereof when in the closed position. The door locking operation is merelyk a reversal of the opening movement.

-F rom the foregoingdescription it will be evident that I have provided a simple door closing device of great strength and simplicity and while I'have shown what-I consider to be the preferred embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the specific construction herein shown as the same is merely illustrative and not by way of limitation and I contemplate all modifications that come within the following claims.

I claim:

1. In arailway car, the combination with a side frame, of a door hinged thereto, and hinging means for the said door comprising a U-bolt secured to the framework, a reinforcing angle iron secured to vthe door andextended to form ya hinge eye for the reception of the 'U-bolt'; the said eye being formed of an elongated shape whereby the 'U-bolt may be inserted or removed without distorting the 'U-bolt or the hinge eye.

2.`In a railway car, door locking means including: a latch; `a shaft for moving the same, and tongue and groove enga-gement between the shaft and latch.

3. In a railway car, door locking means including: a latch, la substantially circular shaft for moving the same, the latch being disposed adjacent the shaft, and a 'U-bolt connecting said latch to the shaft.

4. In a railway car, door locking means including: a latch, a substantially circula: shaft for moving the latch, said shaft having grooves therein, and a U-boltfitting said grooves and by which the latch is attached to the shaft.

5. In a railway car, door locking means including: a latch, a shaft, and means for clamping the latch ou the shaft to secure the latch against longitudinal movement relatively to the shaft, said means comprising threaded members, Y' the shaft having grooves in which said threaded members are received A 6. Ina side discharging carfhaving side frame including stakes, side doors, lockingV mechanism for the doors comprising a lo'ngitudinally movable shaft passing through the stakes,y latch members rigidly secured to the shaft and movable in the path yof the doors; and means for movingthe shaft comprising a socket fulcrumed on thev car frame and pivotally connected to the shaft.

.7. In a side discharging car, the combi- 2 nation with a side frame including side sta-kes, side doors disposed between the' stakes, and corner posts having ladder,

treads thereon; of 'means' for locking the said doors to' the frame and operating vmechanism therefor, "the said means and mechanism being disposed in the car framing so as to clear the ladder treads and present a flush car side.

8. In a side discharging car frameand a plurality of swinging doors having extensions extending bey-ond the free edges thereof, `a shaft extending longitudinally of the car below the level lof the'said extensions and having members rigidly secured thereto and extended vertically in the path of the said extensions in theplane of movement of the said doors; the said members being slidably mounted in slots formed in lbrackety members secured to the car framing.

which said latch is vrigidlysecured, means f 1 for moving the said shaft comprising a pivvoted lever member having a handle socket formed therein, and a `safety cam movable in the path of movement of the said socket.

10. In a side discharging car having a side frame, a swinging door mounted thereon, a shaft extending longitudinally of the having a side car and having latches rigidlyV secured stakes, the combination of doors disposed between the stakes, ashaft passing through the stakes and having latches rigidly secured thereto; said latches being adapted to be move-d in the path of the doors, means for moving the shaft and a safety cam pivotally mounted on the car frame and adapted to be moved in the path of the said shaft to lock the same in position.

l side framek including a kplurality of sidek 12. 4In a side discharging car, in combination a side frame, a swinging door, an abutment carried by the frame, a longitudinally movable shaft, a latch rigidly secured to `said shaft and movable bodily therewith, said abut-ment` beingadapted to secure the latch against outward movement and the shaft being adapted to move the latch in the path of the door, and a safety cam movable in the path of the shaft to llock the same in the closed position.

' with respect to the door extension.

14. In a side discharging car having a side frame, a floor, and a plurality of swinging doors having extensions projecting below the floor, the combination with a shaft extending longitudinally of the car below the level of the said extensions and having latch members rigidly secured thereto and extended vertically in the plane of' movement of the extensions of the said doors; of means disposed intermediate the shaft and door extensions adapted to prevent outward movement of the latch'members. Y Y

15.-In a dump car having a side frame provided with side stakes and swinging side doors, the combination with extensions projectinobeyond the free edges of the doors; of means for locking the doors comprising,

a shaft extending longitudinally of the car' through the stakes, latch members disposed intermediate the stakes, slotted brackets fixed with respect to the side frame and in which said latch members are longitudinally slidable, said latch members being rigidly secured to the shaft and extended upwardly and engageable with the said door extensions.

16. In a dump car having a bottom side sill, a side top member, vertical stakes connected respectively to the side sill and top member, and a floor extending outwardly beyond said side sill: the combination with swinging doors hinged to said top member and having extensions projecting downwardly beyond the free edges of the doors,

said extensions being deflected inwardly to points beneath the floor of the car when the doors are in closed position; of slotted brackets secured to the side sill; a shaft extended through said stakes; and latch members secured to said shaft and extended up: wardly through said slotted brackets and engageable with the door extensions.

17. In a dump car having a side top member, a side sill, and a floor extended outwardly beyond said side sill, the combination with a swinging door hinged along its top edge to said top member and provided with an extension projecting downwardly beyond the free edge of the door, said extension being deflected inwardly to a point beneath said extended portion of the floor, when the door is in closed position; of means supported by said side sill beneath said ex- Ytended portion of the floor and cooperable with said door extension to engage the latter and lock the door in closed position.

1.8. In a dump car having a side top member, a side sill, and a floor extended outwardly beyond said side sill, the combination with a swinging door hinged along its top edge to said top member and provided with an extension projecting downwardly beyond the free edge of the door, said extension being deflected inwardly to a point beneath said extended portion of the floor, when the door is in closed position; of means supported by said side sill beneath said extended portion of the floor and cooperable with said door extension to engage the latter and lock the door in closed position, said means including a reciprocatingV shaft and a projection therefrom movable into and out of the path of said door extension.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of October 1922.

ARGYLE CAMPBELL. Witnesses UNA C. GRIGSBY, H. M. DEA-MER. 

